Textile treating compositions



Patented May 27, 1952 TEXTILE IEREATING COMPOSITIONS Horac'e FinningleyOxley and *Edward Boaden Thom-as, "Spondon, near Derby, and HarryCharles. Murfitt, London, England, assignors to Celanese Corporation ofAmerican: corporation 7 of Delaware NoDrawing. Application January '15,1947, Se-

rial No. 722,290. In Great Britain January 25,

present invention relates to the dressing of textile materials,especially for the purpose :of facilitating their manipulation.

Various textile materials, forexample, natural .silk and cellulose esterand ether artificial silk, have a low electrical -.conductivity and.tend to acquire and retain electrical charges, especially whileundergoing textile operations such as, for example, twisting andwinding, knitting, and the workingupofstaple fibre yarns.Such-electrification of the materials leads togreatdifiiculties incarrying .out many :of ,the textile .opera- .tions which they .arenormally required to .un- .dergo, as, for example, .those mentionedabove.

Numerous agents have been proposed .forapplication to textile materialswitha view .to reducing electrification, but in many cases the agentshave been found to induce serious corrosion .of machine parts with whichthey come into contact.

In the manipulation of textile materials it is also generally desirableto lubricate them so as to facilitate the operations. This isparticularly the case, for example, with dry-spun cellulose acetateimmediately after its production and prior to its being wound or twistedand wound. Again, the knitting'properties of cellulose acetate yarn aregreatly improved by lubrication. It is clearly of great advantage if theagent which reduces electrification can be applied simultaneously withthe lubricant, and particularly if the agent is soluble-in thelubricating oil.

According to the present invention textile filaments, fibres,yarnsand'the like are dressed with 'salts of quaternary ammonium basesand or- 'ganic sulphonic acids.

The salts for use according to the invention may be derived from mono-orpoly-acid quaternary ammonium bases or from mixed aminoquaternaryammonium bases in which the amino group may be primary, secondary ortertiary. Preferably all the quaternary ammonium and the amino groups inthe "bases are aliphatic groups, i. e. the nitrogen atom of each such"group is not directly attached to an aromatic nucleus. Especially'high'efiiciency in reducing the electrification oftextile materials -hasbeen found to be possessed by the salts of "bases containing two 'ormore quaternary ammonium groups. *These salts formed from organic-sulphonic acids and poly-acid quaternary ammonium bases are believed tobe new compounds, and the "invention includes their manufacture as wellas compositions containing rthem. Examples of suitable bases, theorganic sulphonic acid ;salts of which '4 Claims. (Cl. 252-.-8.75)

may beaemployed according to the invention, are lauryl trimethylammonium hydroxide, diethylmethyl ethanol-ammonium hydroxide, triethylethanol-ammonium ihydroxide, cyclohexyl diethyl methyl ammoniumhydroxide, ethylene bis-(triethyl ammonium hydroxide), ethylenebisdiethylethanol-ammonium hydroxide). hexamethylene bis-(triethylammonium hydroxide) and ethylene bis-'(lauryl-diethyl ammonium "hy-.droxide). Preferably the quaternary bases contain at most one alcoholichydrcxyl group for each quaternary nitrogen atom.

Particularly valuable salts :are 'those derived from the aliphaticsulphonic acids, more particu- =larly such ascontain more than B carbonatoms, andespecially those "containing :l2-or more carrbonatoms, whetherthe-aliphatic radicle is saturated or unsaturated. Preferably thealiphatic "radicle of the 'sulphonic acid is an unsubstituted saturatedihydrocarbon :radicle, and accordingly :preferred acids are cetyl and:stearyl sulphonic :acids and-particularly laur-yl sulphonic acid. Thealiphatic sulphonic acids -:may be produced by the reaction of anaqueous solution of the sodium salt of the corresponding aliphatic-sulphate -with-sodium sulphite at elevated tempera- :tures, e. :g."above l- 0., and pressures, -e. g. about -500 lbs, and subsequentisolation :of the acids 'by known methods.

':Salts -for use-in :the compositions of the present invention *shouldpreferably contain, either inthe acid or in the .basefrom which they arederived, groups containing several carbon atoms, e. -g. 6 or more,united one to another in the group. The presence of a straight chain-ofseveral-carbon atoms, especiallyfi, 10, 12 or more carbon atoms, isparticularly advantageous.

Various methods are available for the manufacture 'of the salts. Thus,they may be producedby the reaction of the free quaternary ammonium basein a suitable solvent with the free sulphonic-acid. For example, a freequaternary ammonium base in methanol solution, as formed bythe'treatment 0f the chloride or bromide of "the base with thecalculated quantity of caustic soda or potash :in methanol solution andafter the separation 'of the precipitated alkali halide .maybe treatedwith the acid and the desired salt .so formed separated from themethanol.

"stages day heating and stirring .in each stage, with 1290 =gms. ethyl:chloride :at LOO- C. for .24

hours. After :each stage excess ethyl chloride is removed bydistillation together with some methanol and the residual liquor treatedin the cold with a solution of 400 gms. of sodium hydroxide in 3 litresof methanol. Finally, sodium chloride is removed by filtration to leavea methanol solution of the desired base, containing small amounts ofdiethyl ethanolamine and sodium chloride. This residue is treated withthe calculated quantity of lauryl-sulphonic acid and the tertiary baseremoved by vacuum distillation to leave the desired salt, slightlycontaminated with sodium chloride. According to a second method, thesalts may be formed by the double decomposition of the halide, sulphate,oxalate or other suitable salt of the quaternary ammonium base and thesodium or other metallic salt of the organic sulphonic acid in a mediumin which one or other reaction product is insoluble. Thus, for examplethe acid oxalate of a quaternary ammonium base and the potassium salt ofthe organic sulphonic acid may be reacted in aqueous solution to formthe desired salt with precipitation of potassium hydrogen oxalate.Alternatively, the salts may be produced without the preliminaryformation of a quaternary ammonium compound, as by reacting a tertiaryamine with the appropriate ester of the organic sulphonic acid toproduce the desired salt directly.

For reducing the electrification of textile materials, e. g. materialsof cellulose ester or ether, dressing according to the invention isconveniently effected by applying to the materials solutions of thesalts, for example aqueous solutions. Thus, the materials can, forexample, be moistened with these solutions and thereafter dried in orderto leave a deposit of the salt on the material. For instance, continuousfilaments as spun may be treated with the solutions, e. g. by wick,bath, roller or spray methods, dried, if desired, as by passage througha hot chamber, and wound or twisted and wound. Continuous filament yarnin hank or package form may be immersed in the solutions, excess liquidremoved by centrifuging, pressing or otherwise, and the material dried.Again, cellulose acetate or other cellulose ester or ether staple fibremay be similarly treated or sprayed with a solution of the salt; by thistreatment the subsequent working up into sliver, yarn or other form, maybe greatly facilitated due to the reduced tendency of the dressedmaterial to become electrified. Textile materials dressed with saltsaccording to the present invention are found to have no substantialcorrosive action on machine parts with which they contact.

A particular merit of the salts described is that they are soluble inmany of the oils commonly used in the lubrication of textile materialsin order to facilitate the manipulation of the latter. By using aslubricant a solution of a salt of a quaternary ammonium base and organicsulphonic acid in a lubricating oil, the tendency of the material todevelop electrical charges is simultaneously reduced. The lubricatingoils which may be employed for this purpose are, for instance, animal orvegetable oils, e. g. coconut oil, olive oil or arachis oil, and estersof polymerised and/ or oxidised unsaturated fatty acids, especiallythose of the monohydric alcohols, e. g.

cyclohexanol or methyl cyclohexanol. An example of the last-mentionedtype of lubricating oil is the polymerised and oxidised oleic acid esterof methyl cyclohexanol. Lubricants comprising mineral oils may also beused in conjunction with the salts to produce dressings in accordancewith the present invention. If desired, the lubricating oil and thequaternary ammonium salt may be applied to the textile materials inseparate operations, the salt being applied, for example, in aqueoussolution.

The incorporation of the salts with a lubricating oil can frequently befacilitated by the simultaneous presence of a higher fatty alcohol,particularly one containing twelve or more carbon atoms, e. g. oleylalcohol. Other hydroxylated compounds may also be present in thelubricating composition to assist in the incorporation of the salt andto modify the characteristics of the lubricant. By the use of suchcompounds as assistants, it is often possible to incorporate in the oilgreater proportions of the salt than would otherwise be possible. Anexample of a suitable lubricating composition, particularly for use withcellulose acetate materials, has the following composition:

Percent Ethylene bis-(triethyl ammonium lauryl-sulphonate 7.5 Methylcyclohexanol 7.5 Oleyl alcohol 5 White mineral oil (medium viscosity) 4OArachis oil 40 Olive oil may be substituted for part or the Whole of thearachis oil in this composition.

When solutions of the salts in lubricating oils are required, it isoften convenient to incorporate with the oil a crude preparation of thesalt still containing inorganic salts formed in its production. The oilthen dissolves the desired organic salt and the inorganic salts may beseparated by filtration. In this way the use of a separate organicsolvent, such as alcohol or acetone, in the production of the salts canbe avoided.

Having described our invention, what we desire to secure by LettersPatent is:

1'. A composition suitable for lubricating cellulose acetate textilematerial, said composition consisting essentially of a lubricating oil,a higher fatty alcohol, and a salt of an aliphatic sulphonic acidcontaining 8 to 18 carbon atoms with ethylene-bis (triethyl ammoniumhydroxide), the proportion of alcohol being sufficient to render thecomposition homogeneous and the proportion of the salt sufficient torender cellulose acetate textile material difiicult to electrify whenlubricated with the composition.

2. A composition suitable for lubricating cellulose acetate textilematerial, said composition consisting essentially of a lubricating oil,a higher fatty alcohol of at least 12 carbon atoms, and a salt ofethylene-bis(triethyl ammonium hydroxide) with an aliphatic sulphonicacid of which the aliphatic radicle is an unsubstituted saturatedhydrocarbon radicle of 8 to 18 carbon atoms, the proportion of thealcohol being sufiicient to render the composition homogeneous and the aproportion of the salt suiiicient to render cellulose acetate textilematerial difiicult to electrify when lubricated with the composition.

3. A composition suitable for lubricating cellulose acetate textilematerial, said composition comprising a lubricating oil, a higher fattyalcohol and a salt of ethylene-bis(triethyl ammonium hydroxide) withlauryl sulphonic acid, the proportion of the alcohol being sufficient torender the composition homogeneous and the proportion of the saltsuflicient to render cellulose lubricated with the composition.

4. A composition suitable for lubricating cellulose acetate textilematerial, said composition comprisinga mixture of mineral lubricatingoil and vegetable oil, oleyl alcohol and a salt of ethylene-bis(triethylammonium hydroxide) with lauryl sulphonic acid, the proportion of thealcohol being sufficient to render the composition homogeneous and theproportion of the salt sufficient to render cellulose acetate textilematerial difficult to electrify when lubricated with the composition.

HORACE FINNINGLEY OXLEY. EDWARD BOADEN THOMAS. HARRY CHARLES MURFITT.

REFERENCE S CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Munz etal. July 12, 1932 Hueter Sept. 15, 1936 Downing et al Sept. 6, 1938 FawFeb. 20, 1940 Cahn et al Apr. 1, 1941 Munz Feb. 3, 1942 De Groote Mar.31, 1942 Dickey et al July 14, 1942 Iselin et a1 Aug. 25, 1942Liberthson June 8, 1943 Dickey et al. Dec. 7, 1943 Thomas Sept. 4, 1945FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France Jan. 18, 1930 Addition to P. N.645,395 Great Britain Sept. 21, 1938

1. A COMPOSITION SUITABLE FOR LUBRICATING CELLULOSE ACETATE TEXTILEMATERIAL, SAID COMPOSITION CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF A LUBRICATING OIL,A HIGHER FATTY ALCOHOL, AND A SALT OF AN ALIPHATIC SULPHONIC ACIDCONTAINING 8 TO 18 CARBON ATOMS WITH ETHYLENE-BIS (TRIETHYL AMMONIUMHYDROXIDE), THE PROPORTION OF ALCOHOL BEING SUFFICIENT TO RENDER THECOMPOSITION HOMOGENEOUS AND THE PROPORTION OF THE SALT SUFFICIENT TORENDER CELLULOSE ACETATE TEXTILE MATERIAL DIFFICULT TO ELECTRIFY WHENLUBRICATED WITH THE COMPOSITION.